by Bob Woodward
Owens’s father, Bill Owens: Julie K. Brown, “Slain SEAL’s Dad Wants Answers: ‘Don’t Hide Behind My Son’s Death,’ ” Miami Herald, February 26, 2017.
He later also said: Ibid.
“I can understand people saying”: Nolan D. McCaskill, “Trump Deflects Responsibility on Yemen Raid: ‘They Lost Ryan,’ ” Politico, February 28, 2017.
In an interview on Fox: Ibid.
To the congressional audience: Donald J. Trump, “Address Before a Joint Session of the Congress,” February 28, 2017. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=123408.
As a private citizen Mattis: Carla Marinucci, “Ex-Military Leaders at Hoover Institution Say Trump Statements Threaten America’s Interests,” Politico, July 15, 2016.
Senator John McCain, displaying: Emma Loop, “John McCain Says the Recent Yemen Raid Was a ‘Failure,’ ” BuzzFeed News, February 7, 2017.
Under the Brexit referendum: Great Britain’s Brexit referendum was held on June 23, 2016.
In his speech in Munich: “Intervention by Secretary of Defense Mattis, Session One of the North Atlantic Council,” NATO Defense Ministerial, February 15, 2017.
Nonetheless he said: “U.S. Defense Chief Says NATO Is ‘Fundamental Bedrock,’ ” Reuters, February 15, 2017.
At a news conference: Donald J. Trump, “The President’s News Conference with Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization,” April 12, 2017. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=123739.
When Trump met the European leaders: Donald J. Trump, “Remarks at the Dedication Ceremony for the Berlin Wall Memorial and the 9/11 and Article 5 Memorial in Brussels, Belgium,” May 25, 2017. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=125840.
CHAPTER 10
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
What the hell! Priebus thought: Greg Miller, Adam Entous and Ellen Nakashima, “National Security Adviser Flynn Discussed Sanctions with Russian Ambassador, Despite Denials, Officials Say,” The Washington Post, February 9, 2017.
The Post story, carrying the bylines: Ibid.
According to a six-page internal: Author obtained document.
President-elect Trump praised Putin: View Trump’s tweet at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/814919370711461890.
Flynn’s resignation was announced: Greg Miller and Philip Rucker, “Michael Flynn Resigns as National Security Adviser,” The Washington Post, February 14, 2017.
His statement said, “I accept”: Carol D. Leonnig, Adam Entous, Devlin Barrett and Matt Zapotosky, “Michael Flynn Pleads Guilty to Lying to FBI on Contacts with Russian Ambassador,” The Washington Post, December 1, 2017.
Trump had raised hell about McCabe’s wife: D’Angelo Gore, “Clinton’s Connection to FBI Official,” FactCheck.org, October 25, 2016.
She had received $675,288: Ibid.; see also D’Angelo Gore, “Trump Wrong About Campaign Donations,” FactCheck.org, July 26, 2017.
He had not let go of the issue: View Trump’s tweets at: https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/889792764363276288; https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/890207082926022656; https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/890208319566229504.
“You know this story in The New York Times?”: Michael S. Schmidt, Mark Mazzetti and Matt Apuzzo, “Trump Campaign Aides Had Repeated Contacts with Russian Intelligence,” The New York Times, February 14, 2017.
About a week later on February 24: Jim Sciutto, Evan Perez, Shimon Prokupecz, Manu Raju and Pamela Brown, “FBI Refused White House Request to Knock Down Recent Trump-Russia Stories,” CNN, February 24, 2017.
Four months later on June 8: Michael S. Schmidt, Mark Mazzetti and Matt Apuzzo, “Comey Disputes New York Times Article About Russia Investigation,” The New York Times, June 8, 2017.
CHAPTER 11
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
“I just wanted to announce”: Donald J. Trump, “Remarks on the Appointment of Lieutenant General H. R. McMaster (USA) as National Security Adviser in Palm Beach, Florida, and an Exchange with Reporters,” February 20, 2017. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=123396.
CHAPTER 12
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
Dispelling any doubt: Christine Kim, “Voice of Triumph or Doom: North Korean Presenter Back in Limelight for Nuclear Test,” Reuters, September 4, 2017.
The North’s nuclear weapons center: Matt Clinch, “Here’s the Full Statement from North Korea on Nuclear Test,” CNBC, September 9, 2016.
To compound the potential: See the CNS North Korea Missile Test Database, available for download at http://www.nti.org/analysis/articles/cns-north-korea-missile-test-database/.
Former U.S. negotiator Robert Gallucci: Panel discussion on U.S. policy on North Korea at George Washington University, August 28, 2017, Washington, D.C. Video is available at https://www.c-span.org/video/?433122-1/us-policy-north-korea.
Trump had a history of public statements: Rebecca Shabad, “Timeline: What Has Trump Said About North Korea over the Years?” CBS News, August 10, 2017.
In a 2016 campaign speech: Ibid.
In May of 2016, he told Reuters: Ibid.
As president, in 2017: Ibid.
He condemned the North’s: Barack Obama, “Statement on North Korea’s Nuclear Test,” September 9, 2016. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=118931.
To maximize shock value: Elizabeth Weise, “Sony Pictures Entertainment Hacked,” USA Today, November 24, 2014.
CHAPTER 13
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
Former vice president Joe Biden: Bob Woodward, Obama’s Wars (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2010), p. 62.
He’d called Trump a “jackass”: Nicholas Fandos, “Lindsey Graham Destroys Cellphone After Donald Trump Discloses His Number,” The New York Times, July 22, 2015.
He endorsed Jeb Bush: Cheri Cheng, “Lindsey Graham Endorses Presidential Candidate Jeb Bush,”News EveryDay, January 15, 2016.
Graham and McCain had released: “Statement by Senators McCain and Graham on Executive Order on Immigration,” January 29, 2017.
Just days before, on March 5: See the CNS North Korea Missile Test Database, available for download at http://www.nti.org/analysis/articles/cns-north-korea-missile-test-database/.
The week prior, on March 4: View Trump’s tweets at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/837989835818287106; https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/837993273679560704; https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/837994257566863360; https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/837996746236182529.
In 2015, Trump had made: Jonathan Martin and Alan Rappeport, “Donald Trump Says John McCain Is No War Hero, Setting Off Another Storm,” The New York Times, July 18, 2015.
During a spring meeting: Adriana Diaz, “U.S. THAAD Missile System a Factor in South Korea’s Presidential Election,” CBS News, May 8, 2017.
Trump later told Reuters: Stephen J. Adler, Jeff Mason and Steve Holland, “Exclusive: Trump Vows to Fix or Scrap South Korean Trade Deal, Wants Missile System Payment,” Reuters, April 27, 2017.
He told Chris Wallace on Fox News: “McMaster Says U.S. Will Pay for THAAD Antimissile System in South Korea,” Fox News, April 30, 2017.
As a first step: “South Korea Trade Ministry Says Ready to Begin Renegotiating U.S. Trade Pact,” Reuters, December 17, 2017.
CHAPTER 14
The i
nformation in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
McMaster, angry with Harvey: McMaster fired Harvey on July 27, 2017.
When it looked like they were: Julie Hirschfeld Davis, “Trump Meets Saudi Prince as U.S. and Kingdom Seek Warmer Relations,” The New York Times, March 14, 2017.
Trump finally gave the go-ahead: Mark Landler and Peter Baker, “Saudi Arabia and Israel Will Be on Itinerary of Trump’s First Foreign Trip,” The New York Times, May 4, 2017.
He announced $110 billion: Aaron Mehta, “Revealed: Trump’s $110 Billion Weapons List for the Saudis,” DefenseNews, June 8, 2017.
The next month Saudi king Salman: Sudarsan Raghavan and Kareem Fahaim, “Saudi King Names Son as New Crown Prince, Upending the Royal Succession,” The Washington Post, June 21, 2017.
CHAPTER 15
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
Beginning in 2011, four years: View Trump’s tweet at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/122396588336349184.
In March 2012, he tweeted: View Trump’s tweet at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/179270017064513536.
In January, it was, “Let’s get out”: View Trump’s tweet at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/289807790178959360.
In March, “We should leave”: View Trump’s tweet at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/307568422789709824.
In April, “Our gov’t is so pathetic”: View Trump’s tweet at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/324590961827143681.
And in November, “Do not allow”: View Trump’s tweet at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/403511109942247424.
And in December 2015, Trump tweeted: View Trump’s tweet at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/679000573241393154.
White House coordinator: Bob Woodward, Obama’s Wars (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2010), p. 361.
President Bush had publicly cited: Transcript, “President Bush Discusses the War in Iraq,” CQ Transcripts Wire, March 20, 2006.
In a May 31 op-ed in The Wall Street Journal: Erik D. Prince, “The MacArthur Model for Afghanistan,” The Wall Street Journal, May 31, 2017.
For years the CIA had run: Bob Woodward, Obama’s Wars (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2010), p. 8.
On July 18, Trump had lunch: Ben Jacobs, “In Town Pool Report #3,” 1:12 p.m., July 18, 2017, http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/report.php?pid=2365.
The National Security Council gathered: Author review of contemporaneous notes by a participant.
Later in the day those: Ibid.
That evening, Priebus hosted: Ibid.
CHAPTER 16
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
In February, Trump had called it: Donald J. Trump, “The President’s News Conference with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel,” February 15, 2017. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=123361.
As a candidate in 2016, he had said: Donald J. Trump, “Remarks at the AIPAC Policy Conference in Washington, DC,” March 21, 2016. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=116597.
He directed that the short letter: “Tillerson: Iran Remains a Leading State Sponsor of Terror,” Breitbart News, April 20, 2017.
In a five-minute presentation, Tillerson: See Tillerson’s comments as part of the transcript of The Lead with Jake Tapper, CNN, April 19, 2017, http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1704/19/cg.01.html.
CHAPTER 17
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
At a rally in June 2016: Full transcript: “Donald Trump’s Jobs Plan Speech,” Politico, June 28, 2016.
“This is the president’s vision”: Peter Coy, “After Defeating Cohn, Trump’s Trade Warrior Is on the Rise Again,” Bloomberg, March 8, 2018.
Each month Cohn brought: JOLTS numbers are publicly available at https://www.bls.gov/jlt/.
He came into the job with five-star: Foremost among those recommending him was Brett Kavanaugh, who had been staff secretary to President George W. Bush. Bush appointed Kavanaugh to a judgeship on the powerful District of Columbia Court of Appeals. He was nominated to the Supreme Court by President Trump on July 9, 2018.
CHAPTER 18
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
Bannon was convinced that Jared: See Emily Crane and Cheyenne Roundtree, “Donald’s Eruption in the Oval Office: Video Emerges of Trump’s ‘Furious Argument’ with Top Adviser Steven Bannon as Ivanka and Jared Look On, Hours Before President Made Phone Tapping Claims,” Daily Mail, March 5, 2017.
For his part, he was convinced: See Michael S. Schmidt, Matthew Rosenberg and Matt Apuzzo, “Kushner and Flynn Met with Russian Envoy in December, White House Says,” The New York Times, March 2, 2017.
The later event for Modi: Max Bearak, “Modi’s ‘No Frills’ Visit to Washington Masks a Potential Minefield,” The Washington Post, June 26, 2017.
In 2014 he said, “We mark”: Barack Obama, “Statement on the Elimination of Syria’s Declared Chemical Weapons Stockpile,” August 18, 2014. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=106702.
“We got 100 percent of the chemical”: John Kerry interview with David Gregory, Meet the Press, NBC, July 20, 2014.
In 2016, DNI Clapper said publicly: Peter Baker, “For Obama, Syria Chemical Attack Shows Risk of ‘Deals with Dictators,’ ” The New York Times, April 9, 2017.
In a public statement on April 4: Donald J. Trump, “Statement on the Chemical Weapons Attack in Khan Sheikhoun, Syria,” April 4, 2017. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=123681.
Graham knew Trump-speak: The next day Putin called the attack an “illegal act of aggression” and canceled an agreement to prevent midair incidents between U.S. and Russian jets over Syria called deflection.
The next morning, Senator John McCain: “Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz, Is Interviewed on MSNBC’s ‘Morning Joe,’ ” Federal News Service, April 7, 2017.
Anne-Marie Slaughter, who had been: View Slaughter’s tweet at https://twitter.com/slaughteram/status/850263058756673540.
CHAPTER 19
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
An emergency meeting was called: Author review of contemporaneous notes by a participant.
Sonny Perdue gave a presentation: Author review of contemporaneous notes by a participant.
A New York Times headline read: Gina Chon and Pete Sweeney, “China Surrenders Little to U.S. in First Round of Trade Talks,” The New York Times, May 12, 2017.
The president held a meeting: Author review of contemporaneous notes by a participant.
CHAPTER 20
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
He brought a three-page memo: Rosenstein’s memo is available at https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/3711188/Rosenstein-letter-on-Comey-firing.pdf.
He had muddied the waters: “Partial Transcript: NBC News Interview with Donald Trump,” CNN, May 11, 2017, https://www.cnn.com/2017/05/11/politics/transcript-donald-trump-nbc-news/index.html.
The evening of Tuesday, May 16: Michael S. Schmidt, “Comey Memo Says Trump Asked Him to End Flynn Investigation,” The New York Times, May 16, 2017.
On CNN that evening: Derek Hawkins, “ ‘I Think We’re in Impeachment Territory,’ Says David Gergen, Former Aide to Nixon and Clinton,” The Washington Post, May 17, 2017.
&
nbsp; CHAPTER 21
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
First, he had been blindsided: “Attorney General Sessions Statement on Recusal,” U.S. Department of Justice, March 2, 2017.
Dowd examined the one-page Rosenstein order: The order is publicly available at https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3726408-Rosenstein-letter-appointing-Mueller-special.html.
Perhaps the most troubling pieces: Comey’s June 8, 2017, testimony to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence is available at https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/3860393/Comey-Opening-Statement-June-8.pdf. Comey’s memos are available at https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/4442900/Ex-FBI-Director-James-Comey-s-memos.pdf.
In a celebrated July 27 news conference: Donald J. Trump, “News Conference in Doral, Florida,” July 27, 2016. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=118047.
He later tweeted, “If Russia”: View Trump’s tweet at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/758335147183788032.
The next day he said: Nick Gass, “Trump on Russia Hacking Comments: ‘Of Course I’m Being Sarcastic,’ ” Politico, July 27, 2016.
CHAPTER 22
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
Within the intelligence and military world: Bob Woodward, Obama’s Wars (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2010), p. 56.
Just over a month later: See the CNS North Korea Missile Test Database, available for download at http://www.nti.org/analysis/articles/cns-north-korea-missile-test-database/.